PLU Pledge

PLU Pledge: A Lute Loan Safety Net

We believe in the value of a PLU education and that students pursuing higher education are making an investment in themselves and in their future. The costs of college and the idea of student debt, however – especially at a private university like PLU – can be concerning and even overwhelming to students and their families. That’s why we’re excited to offer the PLU Pledge: A Lute Loan Safety Net.

The PLU Pledge is a loan repayment assistance program, a safety net, we offer for incoming first-year students* for the 2019-20 academic year. Once you are employed after graduation, if you earn less than $43,000 per year, we will help you repay your student (and parent PLUS) loans until you do.

*This does not include incoming first-year students intending to major in Nursing or international students

The PLU Pledge covers all federal direct and private alternative student loans, as well as parent PLUS loans.

Frequently Asked Questions

We believe in the value of our education and in preparing students for lives of thoughtful inquiry, service, leadership and care. We also know that students and families have concerns about the cost of college and student debt. The PLU Pledge is yet another way we are addressing college access and affordability, and a further investment we are making in the success of our students and their ability to fully pursue their vocation after graduation.

If you are an incoming first-year student* it’s easy to sign up for the PLU Pledge at mylrap.org/PLU. Even if you are not planning to take out loans for your first year, but may in subsequent years, you must sign up as a first year to take advantage of the PLU Pledge benefits.

*This does not include incoming first-year students intending to major in Nursing

PLU Nursing graduates have a nearly 100% success rate in finding employment in the nursing field soon after graduation, and their average beginning salary is well above the threshold to be eligible for the PLU Pledge.

If a nursing student changes their major, they can then enroll in the PLU Pledge for student and parent PLUS loans taken on in the next academic year after they have changed their major.

You are still responsible for paying your student loans, and responsible for submitting the necessary paperwork for repayment assistance. The loan repayment assistance is provided as a quarterly (4x per year) reimbursement after the loan payments are made. If your income is less than the lower threshold of $20,000, you will qualify for full (100%) reimbursement. If your income is between the lower ($20,000) and upper ($43,000) income thresholds, you will qualify for proportional assistance (see the chart on the page above).

Parent PLUS loan reimbursements are based entirely on the graduate’s income (not the parents’ income), and reimbursements can be paid directly to the parent.

Assistance continues until your income surpasses $43,000 or until your loans are completely paid off.

The PLU Pledge does not remove the responsibility for students and parents to repay their loans, but it does serve as a safety net for those who start out their careers with modest salaries. We do not believe that it will drive higher loan amounts, but instead allow students and parents to borrow the necessary funds to attend and graduate from PLU.

The PLU Pledge is closely aligned with the university’s mission to educate students to live lives of purpose in the world, and to be able focus on their callings, their passions and their vocation, rather than on the salary that may come with it.

The nominal reduction in tuition would not remove the need for student and parent loans, and therefore the PLU Pledge is a better solution for supporting our students’ enrollment, retention, and future success after graduation.

It’s really more of a safety net. We prepare students to follow their dreams, their callings. Even though over 90% of our recent graduates are employed or in graduate school, we know that some will still need and use this safety net to pursue their passions and highest ambitions.

Given the nature of this brand new PLU Pledge model, we are unable to cover currently enrolled students or alumni who have already graduated – we are only covering incoming first-year students for the 2019-20 academic year.

If you are worried about your own student debt as a current student, we encourage you to connect with the Student Financial Services office. If you are an alumnus who is struggling, our Career Connections can offer assistance with your job situation (plu.edu/career).

Please contact the Office of Admission at 800-274-6758 or admission@plu.edu with any additional questions about the PLU Pledge: A Lute Loan Safety Net. For more specific Terms & Conditions, please see the Terms & Conditions webpage.